How Orange Is the New Black Characters Got in Prison

How Every OITNB Inmate Ends Up Behind Bars

It'll be a while before Orange Is the New Black returns for a third season, but that doesn't mean it's not constantly on our minds. The show scored the title of best Netflix series of 2014, so we know you love it too. Make sure you're all caught up before season three begins, and in case you need a refresher on how everyone lands in the slammer, we've got a handy guide. Take a look to find out what exactly Piper, Red, Pennsatucky, and everyone else did wrong — aside from getting caught, of course.

The Crime: It's not completely clear what exactly lands Red in prison, but we do know that she and her husband owned a restaurant and that Red became involved with the Russian mafia. She punched one of the mob wives in the boob and ruptured an implant, but her solid business advice to the husband allowed her to stick around.

The Crime: So far, Poussey's crime is unclear. What we do know about her past is that she lived in Germany, where her father was stationed with the US Army. She had a romantic relationship with the base commander's daughter, and this is what got her family reassigned to the States.

The Crime: While we first assume Morello is planning her wedding to her fiancé, Christopher, it's revealed that Christopher is the man she was stalking. After meeting at a post office, they went on one date, and she proceeded to stalk him. Eventually, she planted an explosive device in his actual girlfriend's car, attempting to murder her. She's still highly delusional about the nature of their relationship.

The Crime: We don't know what Crazy Eyes' crime is yet, but we do know about her background. She was adopted by a white, suburban couple, and despite loving her daughter, Crazy Eyes' mother often pushed her to accomplish more than she was comfortable with — like singing a song at her graduation.

The Crime: Pennsatucky is sent to Litchfield for shooting an abortion-clinic worker. Though it's assumed this is because of her serious religious beliefs, it's revealed that she shot the woman for making a remark about this being Pennsatucky's fifth abortion. Needless to say, Pennsatucky doesn't react well to being disrespected.

The Crime: Daya's exact crime is unknown, but we have seen some of her past. She grew up in an abusive environment with her mother, and at one point she slept with her mother's drug-dealer boyfriend to spite her mother.

The Crime: Years ago, Sophia was a male fireman. Once she decided to transition to a female, she committed credit card fraud to finance her operation and hormone therapy. We also know that it was her son, who was having trouble with her transition, who turned her in.

The Crime: Alex used to be a smuggler for a major drug cartel. Though she loved Piper, she also used her as a pawn in her smuggling operation. Ten years after the crime, Alex named Piper as an accomplice, and the two both ended up at Litchfield.

The Crime: Miss Claudette grew up as an illegal child laborer. She was sent to the United States to pay off a debt for her family, and when she grew up, she ran a cleaning service using illegal child labor. It's not clear whether she's in prison for this or because she beat a man to death for abusing one of her "employees." It's probably both.

The Crime: Cindy used to be the world's worst airport security employee. She would regularly harass and steal from travelers, and though it's not explicitly said that this behavior led to her arrest, it can be assumed.

The Crime: Back in the day, Miss Rosa was a pretty serious bank robber. She was good at stealing money, but she was cursed. Her crew of men dwindled as she would take one as her lover before he inevitably ended up dead by the end of the robbery. Eventually, she got caught.

The Crime: A nun since young adulthood, Sister Ingalls became really involved in social activism. This continued throughout her career with the church, even publishing a book called Nun Shall Pass. Due to her growing hubris, the church refused to support her any longer, and she was arrested after handcuffing herself to a flagpole at a nuclear test site.

It's not really accurate to say that Sophia used to be male. Most trans people will assert that we never felt the sex we were assigned at birth. Easier to just say she's a trans woman who used to be a firefighter when she presented as male.

32 weeks

They must have updated the article, she wasn't there when I read this last. Good for them :)

32 weeks

Black Cindy was the TSA employee. You have a good point about the rest.

32 weeks

She's the second to last person mentioned.

36 weeks

Miss Claudette didn't beat a man to death, she stabbed him. She's shown cleaning the bloody knife after it happens.

This article seems a bit undone on your behalf with your 'not exactly sure' and 'crime is unknown' answers. Plus, you left a few characters out. I actually thought that you were going to let us in on some things we didn't know about the characters on "OTNB". Disappointed.

38 weeks

where's black cindy? Or Janae Watson the track star? or sister mary? or Norma? or all those new old ladies we met? Or any of the supporting characters in spanish harlem?This article didn't give me any information that I didn't get from watching the show and spelled a bunch of people's names wrong.

38 weeks

Big Boo is also missing.

38 weeks

Her full sentence is 15 months I think with possibility of 13 with good behavior. But we have to wait and see what happens with her purgery during court might get more time

38 weeks

Yeah, now I see it haha , but still.

38 weeks

I thought it was mentioned that she had a 15 month sentence.

38 weeks

does it really? I remember the seasons changing in season 1....i thought she had been there longer.....

38 weeks

Poussey*** lol

38 weeks

I think it is also really cool to point out that season 1, and season 2 happens over a span of 4 months. At the end of season 2, Piper still has 8 months left of her 1 year sentence.

38 weeks

Yeah, Miss Rosa is missing, here. Also, it would be nice to know (as of whatever episode it is mentioned) how long each inmate has left on her sentence. I know there have been a couple of mentions, though I can't remember which, at this time.